Twisp Meeting Summary May 14, 2019

Chair Jerry Litt opened the Twisp meeting at 11:00 am with introductions by Commissioners.

Commission Business Commissioner Tortorelli moved and Commissioner Jennings seconded the motion approving the April 16, 2019 meeting summary. The motion was approved unanimously.

Reema Griffith then gave a status update on adding new members to the Autonomous Vehicle Work Group Executive Committee, as described last month. Roger Millar, Secretary, State Department of Transportation, expressed concern about the lack of representation from additional interest groups, particularly non-car centric groups. Secretary. Millar suggested the Commission consider up to 45 members. Chair Litt said that 30 members (doubling its size) is expansive, and that 45 may be unwieldly.

Commissioner Restucci is sympathetic to Secretary Millar’s concern about representation, but has concern about the Work Group growing too large to be effective.

ACTION: Commissioner Batra moved approval of the addition of the two additional members: Joe Rutan, Whatcom County (Washington State Association of Counties) and Brenda Wiest (Washington State Labor Council). Commissioner Jennings seconded the motion. The motion was approved unanimously.

Transportation 101 Paul Parker, Deputy Director, Washington State Transportation Commission, gave a 5 minute version of Transportation 101, an overview of Washington’s transportation system.

Transportation 101

City Transportation Issues, Challenges and Successes Soo Ing-Moody, Mayor, City of Twisp, talked about the evolution of Twisp and the Methow Valley from a town and region based on extraction industries to arts and culture tourism. Twisp has a state highway as main street, splitting the town and causing land use and safety concerns which Twisp is seeking to address with an Economic Revitalization Master Plan.

Sidewalk construction on state routes includes very expensive requirements. The required frequency of expansion joints becomes a problem when they’re damaged by sand damage, creating a safety hazard and causing city maintenance costs. Salt also is an issue. 1 May 14 & 15, 2019

Twisp is looking at adding islands for crossing the highway. It is difficult to meet hazard criteria for grants in small towns. The town has established a Transportation Benefit District (voter approved sales tax TBD), but it is not sufficient to cover maintenance costs.

Twisp is seeking a speed limit change from 50 mph to 35 mph, and pushing the current zone of where it slows down from 60 mph farther out of town. Current criteria do not support this much of a change for a small, rural town. And they do not support the mobility goals for Twisp and like-sized towns. Keeping the speed at 50 mph also creates higher costs for a proposed gateway.

Mayor Ing-Moody also reported that fires are a major hazard too; there has been a fire in the valley every year but one since the major 2014 fires. Fires create additional related problems such as slides. The fires demonstrate interoperability challenges, though the upside has been the communities coming together to be prepared. Representative Goehner sponsored an emergency management center – construction begins next year.

Rural broadband also is on the list of critical infrastructure, and Mayor Ing-Moody sees it as critical for transportation as well. To improve rural infrastructure, we need to be innovative to support solutions and save lives.

Sally Ranzau, Mayor, Town of Winthrop, said that her town has 465 year-round residents, but its population expands to over 5,000 residents with tourism as the driver. SR 20 goes through the middle of town and with its historic/western themed downtown, Winthrop seeks to be more walkable. The highway cannot expand there. Its proposal includes satellite parking and a river walk as an alternative to walking through downtown (ADA compliant).

Winthrop used Complete Streets funding for the study. Now, funding is needed for Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) to move the highway at a pinch point to allow access to new trails. They don’t have the cost estimate yet.

Commissioner Tortorelli referenced the poor shoulders used for bicycle traffic outside Winthrop (except up to the pass). Mayor Ranzau reported the town is seeking to improve options for bicycle travelers to stop and store their bikes. Also, Twisp and Winthrop are working on a grant to improve the connection between the towns.

Secretary Millar encouraged working with the legislature to support funding levels. Great that they’ve developed plans and funding comes to plans, from his experience.

Successes and Challenges

Action: None. Follow-Up: Secretary Millar offered to engage on additional options.

County Transportation Issues, Challenges and Successes Andy Hover, Commissioner, Okanogan County, reported that Okanogan County is roughly the size of Connecticut. Today it costs about $1 million per mile to pave roads and 50% of the county roads are unpaved. The county’s’ road budget is about $13 million.

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There is one short-line railroad in the county, and its cargo is close to no longer being moved by rail. This means a very heavy reliance on the rural road system.

Chairman Litt noted that in discussions of equity, we often don’t speak to underserved communities in rural communities vs. urban communities, and further, the definition of rural often groups in a very broad range of densities. Commissioner Hover added that the broad range of rural definitions contributes to the lack of funding for truly rural, low density communities with truly limited access to services. He is partly exasperated by funding criteria and formulas that treat all rural areas the same, resulting in funding being prioritized for denser and higher traffic rural areas (ex. average daily traffic measurements). A “Lifeline type criteria” is needed.

Josh Thomson, Public Works Director, Okanogan County, reviewed Okanogan County road statistics and funding. Bridges must be 20’ long or more to meet federal funding and state bridge funding requirements, this excludes many rural structures, including bridges over small or seasonal streams. We also have been advised that the worst slope stability happens 7 years after a fire. Okanogan County is approaching that soon following the fires of 2014-2015.

The RCW describes a primitive county road as “Unpaved, local access and less than 100 ADT.” That means no standards to meet and no liability. Also no funding. But there are Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife (WDFW) salmon passage requirements, and other state drainage requirements that we must comply with.

Mr. Thomson also supports enabling a federal funding swap with WSDOT, as Commissioners supported in the 2018 Annual Report. It did not happen this year because every WSDOT dollar was allocated instead of being programmatic, so WSDOT could not find a way to put it forward this year. Other states which swap (ex. Oregon) do not have this limitation.

Secretary Millar agreed and added that federal money that is received but not appropriated must be matched with state money, which comes out of same state funding bucket. He also noted that the Western Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials is working to address fire funding challenges at a multi-state level.

Okanogan County Drainage

Action: None. Follow-Up: None at this time.

Economic Development and Transportation Don Linnertz, Executive Director, TwispWorks, reported that people are seeking sustainable growth in the Methow Valley. TwispWorks was a U.S. Forest Service ranger station that was closed. In 2008 it was converted to a rural economic development hub with $1 million in seed funding from a grant and local funding.

TwispWorks is the resource for economic vitality in Methow Valley. It has been an advocate for the smokejumper base, rural broadband and childcare. It has sponsored Methow Made marketing and the Methow Investment Network which has a major overlap with transportation support.

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From Mazama to Methow, 46% of housing stock in the valley are second homes. They are shifting from a waning resource economy to a vision for a diverse, healthy economy that includes tourism and importers. About 800,000 to 1 million visitors come through the valley each year. Pretty evenly split between the North Cascade Highway when open, and the other two routes.

Our current workforce includes 37% of employees working from home, but still needing transportation capacity. The median incomes range from $37,000 or so in Twisp to below $50,000 in Winthrop to $80,000+ in Mazama.

Access aging infrastructure, and communication between multiple agencies are primary transportation challenges. Highest priorities: public safety, advocacy for effective forest health programs, infrastructure spending, and coordinated communication.

Employers say it is hard to find people to work and employees say it is hard to find places to live to work. Methow Housing Trust has started to support new low-cost, workforce housing for service workers. But many people are living in Okanogan and Omak, etc.

Transit service is used and helping, but for some the service doesn’t start early enough in the day to be effective. The vanpool program has helped. It is primarily non-employed residents who use transit.

Methow Valley Priorities

Action: None. Follow-Up: None at this time.

Emergency Response and Preparedness: Primitive Roads Network Josh Thomson, Public Works Director, Okanogan County, discussed a map of the county road network. Emergency response in Okanogan includes getting stuck in snow off the road and accidents on hunting trips. You have to plan around variety of events, including cattle drives and festivals.

Mr. Thomson noted that most roads that are shown as stopping continue as dirt roads, primitive roads. 585 miles are designated as primitive. The Forest Service likely has more miles of roads than the county. WDFW, Bureau of Indian Affairs, and the Colville Tribe also have roads in their jurisdictions. The RCW requires that “Little C” county roads, if used by the public for more than 10 years, must be kept open.

The Primitive Road Study -- a more accurate description should include backroads, gravel roads, etc., since primitive just refers to the county designation. Various entities have differing GIS data on road networks; we are looking to improve and share a comprehensive database of road information. We will seek to at least identify the important routes (whether just comprised of one road jurisdiction or several), even if not able to update all smaller changes. Will then keep information up to date about the important routes.

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Representative Goehner asked when emergency diversions occur, who’s liable for accidents on the backroads when multiple and different jurisdictions are involved? That is not worked out yet.

Action: None. Follow-Up: Revisit this project when the Commission meets jointly with Oregon and California in September.

Okanogan RTPO – Washington’s Newest RTPO Mayor Soo Ing-Moody, is Chair, of the Okanogan RTPO, the newest and most rural RPTO in the state. It officially formed around 2013 and was certified last year. It formed after Chelan- Douglas Transportation Council formed its own MPO/RTPO.

Known as the Okanogan Council of Governments (OCOG), it is the first time the county governments have come together to discuss transportation. Since the fires, OCOG also has worked around public safety issues.

Priorities in the 2040 Regional Transportation Plan for the Okanogan Region include taking care of the most vulnerable in each of the communities. Challenges include changes in the RTPO funding allocation, reducing the OCOG allocation from about $82,000 to $77,000, despite a $500,000 increase in funding for RPTOs overall. Planning doesn’t cost any less for smaller counties and this reduction further exasperates disparities between urban and rural counties. Without enough funding to hire a planner, the alternative is hiring consultants who don’t know Okanogan County. The size of the county is also a challenge.

Primary planning activities include the primitive Road Study (first of its kind done in at least this state) and the Main Street Highway Action Plan are two. Seeking to continue being pragmatic and thinking creatively. Seeking maximum efficacy and efficiency – minimizing bureaucracy and cost where possible, and just getting the job done.

Okanogan Council of Governments

Action: None. Follow-Up: None at this time.

Public Comment A Methow Conservancy employee expressed appreciation: - Scenic highway funding was useful when available - Grateful for the maintenance road crews in the valley - WSDOT Wenatchee office does a great job on communication about pass closures and emergency response. Electronic message board in Winthrop has been very helpful for when there are events or fire danger. - Thankful for WSDOT being part of local problem solving on variety of transportation issues. Including airport beacon, transportation maintenance shed, and airport / ranch conflict.

Laura Super spoke in favor of the Primitive Roads Study. She noted that people live up on those primitive roads at the end of county roads, which are also used for recreation and emergency.

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Some are closed off by gates that were illegally installed. The County doesn’t have funds to address all the closed roads, which results in residents using the court system instead.

Isabelle Spown said that in regards to affordable housing, there are big needs beyond service industry, such as aging and disabled communities.

Action: None. Follow-Up: None at this time.

Omak Meeting Summary May 15, 2019

Chair Jerry Litt opened the Omak meeting at 8:30 am in Omak City Hall. Commissioners, staff and the audience, all introduced themselves.

Transportation 101 Paul Parker, Deputy Director, Washington State Transportation Commission, presented Transportation 101, an overview of Washington’s transportation system.

Transportation 101

City Transportation Issues, Challenges and Successes Cindy Gagne Mayor, City of Omak, said that Omak is the commerce center for Okanogan County. The big problem is the SR 155 Bridge over the . The city has installed bulbs on the main street to improve pedestrian access.

WSDOT is doing a corridor plan for SR 97 from the casino to North Omak. Kurt Danison, Highland Associates, said that a recent improvement on the NE corner of SR 97 and the shopping center north of town needs to be torn out, because WSDOT didn’t listen to city needs.

Sean Davisson, Public Works Director, City of Okanogan, said that his city would like to see traffic downtown slowed and get truck traffic out of downtown. In a perfect world, he’d be planning to replace all underground utilities before WSDOT works on roadway.

Lee Webster, Public Works Director, City of Brewster, said there is not enough money coming in to small towns to address transportation. There is a need for safe crossings of SR 97 from the housing on one side of the highway and the warehouses on the other. Brewster is spending its resources on recovering from fires and lacks the funding to improve transportation safety and access.

Twisp and Electric City have implemented Transportation Benefit Districts (TBDs), but they don’t raise much money. Okanogan County coordinates Surface Transportation dollars for the county and its cities.

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Jon Neal, Mayor, City of Oroville, said that two major Canadian businesses operate in Oroville. Remann Reload is having trouble getting its product south on rail, and may double or triple its truck traffic.

Secretary Millar recommended that the local cities couch their arguments for funding in terms of safety, not congestion.

Kurt Danison, asked what can be done to maintain rail service. WSDOT owns 300 miles of track previously owned by the main line railroads. One business south of Tonasket closed in part due to poor rail service. Cement is shipped to Canada and calcium carbonate is shipped to Woodland on the Okanogan short line. Other products are wood products and grain. The Okanogan Economic Alliance has discussed options with BNSF and the Genesee and Wyoming Rail Road.

Action: None. Follow-Up: None at this time.

Cross –Border Transportation Issues The border crossing facility on SR 97 is large and the busiest in Eastern Washington. About 2500 trucks a month move through. In the summer almost 50,000 vehicles a month cross the border. With a better dollar exchange rate, about 70,000 vehicles a month cross the border.

One of the reasons for creating a heavy haul corridor from the border to Oroville is the recognition that SR 97 is a major trade route. There was no cost to the designation. In the past, WSDOT had federal money for improvements within 50 miles of the border.

Action: None. Follow-Up: None at this time.

County Transportation Issues, Challenges and Successes Chris Branch, Commissioner, Okanogan County, noted that the creation of OCOG has helped to bring the cities and county together to work on transportation challenges. Chip-sealing has moved from a 6-year rotation to a 12-year rotation. Chip-seal costs $35,000 mile and rebuild costs $1 million.

The state is chip-sealing most state highways instead of doing asphalt overlay. The Legislature cut WSDOT’s preservation budget by $90 million for the 2019 – 21 biennium. WSDOT had a 7- year preservation rotation and now it’s at 12-years. We are heading in the wrong direction.

Commissioner Batra emphasized that safety and environmental challenges can bring together local and state interests.

Action: None. Follow-Up: None at this time.

Economic Development and Transportation Agriculture, forestry and fisheries is the major industry. Leisure and hospitality is a growing sector. Over half the county population is 50 and over. It is difficult to keep young people in the

7 May 14 & 15, 2019 county. There is a shortage of people for the workforce, especially for professional positions. Housing also is a challenge

The top-ranked infrastructure and economic development projects for 2019 are: • Tonasket Perfect Passage • Omak-Shumway interchange • development • Pateros downtown mall resurface • Omak Jonathon Street development This ranking was developed to allocate rural economic development funds from the rural sales tax funds.

Natural disasters are the new normal. We have to plan and anticipate for them. WSDOT spent about $4 million on SR 20 repairs in 2014. Emergency repairs from snow melt cost an additional $5.5 million in 2017.

Okanogan County has four opportunity zones: • Tonasket • East Omak/East Okanogan • Brewster/Pateros • Colville Reservation

In the past, there was a slogan of “Three Nation Vacation,” touting the Canadian, US, and Colville experiences.

Economic Development, Tourism & Transportation

Action: None. Follow-Up: None at this time.

Washington State Department of Transportation Challenges and Successes Dave Bierschbach, Region Administrator, WSDOT North Central Region, reported on key recent issues in Okanogan County.

What has happened: • Typically, the SR 20 North Cascades Highway opens in late April or early May; this year, it was April 18. • Since the 2014 Carlton Complex fire, the Region has spent at least $10 million to repair and keep the highways open. Floods and massive landslides followed the fires. In early 2017 rain and snow melt caused major debris flows in 2014 fire areas that had not yet recovered, washing out SR 20 in multiple locations. These emergency repairs alone cost $5.5 million in 2017. • SR 20 slope failure occurred on May 1, 2019 west of Okanogan, 7 miles east of Loup Loup Pass. WSDOT geotechnical engineers have determined that ground water eroded the bank below the road. Repair costs could exceed $1 million.

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What is happening: • Maintenance and preservation is underfunded. More than 40 feet of snowfall per year on Stevens Pass requires snow removal and avalanche control. 80% of state lane miles are due or past due for rehabilitation. • The 31-mile stretch of highway between US 97 at Pateros and SR 20 near Twisp includes 11 bridges over the Methow River. All were constructed between 1933 and 1950, are in various stages of deterioration, and have been classified as either structurally deficient, scour critical, or weight restricted. For the last 20 years, the bridges have required constant maintenance or preservation with investments of over $10 million. WSDOT estimates it will cost $99 million to replace the 8 bridges due for replacement. • WSDOT staff engages with the Colville Business Council. In response to recent feedback, WSDOT is installing two Rectangular Rapid Flash Beacons and a “Your Speed Is…” sign on SR 155 in Nespelem for pedestrian, bicycle, and vehicle safety. WSDOT also is collaborating with the Colville Tribe to replace the SR 97 fish barrier at Johnson Creek in Okanogan County.

What is on the horizon: • Built in 1923, the Omak Bridge is functionally obsolete. It has 10-foot lanes, no shoulders, and 3 to 5-foot sidewalks. The Colville Tribe has submitted a $25 million grant proposal to replace the bridge. Or, in the alternative, WSDOT has proposed an $11 million rehabilitation project that will remove sidewalks, widen lanes, and create a separate, shared-use structure, with construction in the 2025 - 2027 biennium. • The Safe Passage 97 Project aims to reduce deer-vehicle collisions and improve wildlife habitat connectivity on US 97 between Tonasket and Omak. The preliminary project scope for Phase 1 consists of three underpasses and fencing, costing $4 to $4.5 million.

North Central Region

Action: None. Follow-Up: None at this time.

Public Transportation and Special Needs Transportation In 2013, Okanogan County passed a sales tax to support transit. In 2016, it expanded to both river valleys and connecting the valleys. The transit challenge is the distribution of the population as well as the aging population. The transit system operates in the towns in the two valleys, but only half the people live in the towns. Okanogan County Transportation and Nutrition (OCTN) is a partner for demand-response service. OCTN provided 49,000 trips last year.

Transit operates mostly 22-foot cutaway vehicles. Maintenance and body work is a challenge. Body work is done in Wenatchee and warranty work is done in Mukilteo. There was little notice for public comment on the Statewide Human Services Transportation Plan.

Action: None. Follow-Up: None at this time.

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Colville Reservation Tour Summary May 15, 2019

Colville Tribal Transportation Issues, Challenges and Successes After the morning meeting in Omak City Hall, the Commissioners and staff traveled to Nespelem with members of the Colville Tribe Business Council and Colville Tribe staff. The Colville Reservation tour provided first-hand experience of the need for collaboration by the two counties and the state with the Colville Confederated Tribes to ensure year-round mobility. The trip to Nespelem began with a stop at the Omak Bridge where SR 155 crosses the Okanogan River. The current condition of the Omak Bridge, built in 1924, left a strong impression. The bridge is functionally obsolete due to the narrow traffic deck. Several young people were using the narrow sidewalk to cross the Okanogan River, demonstrating the need for a safer connection between the two parts of Omak. The tribe has sought $25 million for a replacement bridge. Tribal staff pointed out that some roads on the Colville Reservation are maintained by WSDOT, some by Okanogan County, and some by the Tribe. As the tour continued, we saw road improvements on the and the Road near Omak Lake that were well done, providing a smooth ride and improved safety. Before arriving at the Lucy Covington Government Center, we also saw improvements to the Nespelem School Loop Road. At the Lucy Covington Government Center, Colville staff made presentations on the tour itinerary and on tribal transportation safety. Like the rest of Okanogan County, the Reservation has significant landslide and erosion problems, which were visible on the tour and in photos from the staff presentation. Major damage took place on the Kartar Valley Road, Manilla Creek Road, Inchelium Highway, the Strawberry Creek Bridge, and East Sanpoil Road. Public safety flood concerns include emergency access due to lengthy detours that stall timely transportation to area hospitals. The presentation emphasized that the Inchelium-Gifford Ferry is an essential part of tribal infrastructure. It is expensive to operate and maintain and creates a safety concern when closed due to drawdowns on Lake Roosevelt

Colville staff also briefed the Commission on reservation travel safety. Between 2007 and 2018, there were 56 fatal collisions and 117 collisions with serious injuries. Tribal response includes: • Applied for and received funding for Traffic Safety Coordinator • Collected and compiled data into mapping • Conducted community outreach and traffic safety educational events • National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Vision Zero Pilot • Federal Highway Administration GO Teams technical assistance for data sharing

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TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION

______JERRY LITT, Chair ROY JENNINGS, Vice-Chair

______SHIV BATRA, Member JAMES A. RESTUCCI, Member

ABSENT ______HESTER SEREBRIN, Member JOE TORTORELLI, Member

______DEBBIE YOUNG, Member

ATTEST:

______REEMA GRIFFITH, Executive Director DATE OF APPROVAL

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